PTS Walking Holidays 2017

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8 days from £889 May & September Crete - East & West Crete, the largest Greek island, offers a wide range of attractions: from sandy beaches to spectacular walks through gorges and ravines - there is something here for everyone! The island’s history – from the Minoan civilisation of 2000BC onwards - is remarkable. Crete has amazing landscapes, with opportunities for walks taking in some of the main cultural and natural sights, such as the Mirtia Gorge. This two-centre walking holiday will get you close to the real heart of this wonderful island, the backdrop for ‘Who pays the Ferryman?’ and Victoria Hislop’s ‘The Island’. PROGRAMME Day One: Flight to Heraklion. 20-minute transfer to your hotel for four nights half board accommodation. Your base is the village of Gouves, a smallish, quiet resort with hotels, tavernas and reasonable shopping facilities. The pace of life is slower, however, than in the island’s major resorts. Days Two to Four: At leisure in Eastern Crete, with an included walking excursion. Walk 1: The Lassithi Plateau, walking in the footsteps of the Gods. 11- mile coach transfer onto the plateau, where you start your walk near the village of Lagou. You are on the slopes of Mount Dicti, birthplace of Zeus. You follow a 4000-year-old Minoan path and an unpaved road to the village of Gonies. 7 miles, ascent of 150m, descent of 250m. There is also the chance to join an optional trip to the Gulf of Mirabello, including Elounda and the island of Spinalonga, a former leper colony. Day Eight: Free time until your departure for the airport, just over an hour away. Depending on flight timings, there may be time for some last-minute sightseeing en route. YOUR HOTELS ASTIR BEACH HHHH, Gouves (four nights) The description of the hotel is on page 29. HOTEL THEARTEMIS BEACH HHHH, Rethymnon (three nights) The hotel is close to the town’s long sandy beach and boulevard, and 20 minutes on foot from the old town of Rethymnon. It consists of 245 well-appointed and recently renovated rooms. All the rooms are equipped with satellite tv, direct dial telephone, refrigerator, safety deposit box, bath/shower, wc and hairdryer. The restaurant offers a variety of Greek and international specialities. (www.theartemis.gr) Day Five: Today you leave for Rethymnon, 75 miles to the west. On the way you walk in the beautiful Mirtia Gorge. Walk 2: The trail through the gorge is partly shaded by plane trees, and is through an area often rich in flowers and herbs. You follow a stream with a pretty watermill on it and small ‘lakes’. 40m ascent, 80m descent, 5 miles. From here you continue to your second hotel for three nights half board accommodation. Extend your holiday – extra week available at the Astir Beach. If you have friends who are not walkers interested in this itinerary, it is featured in our Escorted <strong>Holidays</strong> brochure with a touring programme. Days Six and Seven: At leisure in Rethymnon, Western Crete, with an included walking excursion. Rethymnon has a pleasant beach and resort area, but by contrast with your first centre, is quite a large town, with 40000 inhabitants, including a sizeable student population. It has an impressive Venetian fortress and harbour, and some interesting museums. Walk 3: Short transfer to Armenoi, with its Minoan cemetery, for a pleasant walk on paths and dirt roads, passing through fields and small villages. It’s 7 miles, 50m of ascent and descent to Valsamonero, from where you travel by coach to Lake Kournas, some 15 miles away, for a stop set amid olives and mountain scenery, and from there back to your hotel in Rethymnon. There is also the chance to join an optional excursion to Chania, with its walled Venetian Harbour, old town and interesting market area. 28 | www.preferredts.com Please refer to the enclosed ‘Dates and Flight Information’ for details of departure dates, prices and flights.
8 days from £909 May & September Crete, Gouves - no single supplement From your holiday base in Gouves you have three included full day tours with guided walks allowing you to really discover the beauty and variety of Northern Crete. The scenic Kounavi Gorge, the open-air museum at Lychnostatis, wine tasting, the amazing views on Mount Ida – these are just a few of the highlights for you to enjoy. And when you’re not appreciating the magnificent Cretan countryside on a guided walk there is plenty of time to relax and enjoy the facilities of your four star hotel in Gouves. PROGRAMME Day One: Flight to Heraklion, short transfer to your hotel for seven nights half board accommodation in the resort of Gouves. Days Two to Seven: Free in Gouves with three tours with guided walks. Walk 1: The Northern Crete Countryside. After breakfast meet your local walking guide and depart for an introductory tour of Northern Crete and its countryside. When you get to the vineyards around the villages of Skalani and Mirtia your walk starts through the Kounavi Gorge. A scenic path goes along and over the water stream through lush vegetation and abundant wild flowers. At the end of the gorge you continue through olive groves and vineyards to the traditional village of Skalani where you have free time for lunch. The guided walk through the Kounavi Gorge is approximately 5 miles with ascents/descents of 150m/220m. The day’s tour includes a total of 46 miles by coach. Walk 2: Traditional Crete. After breakfast you visit the open-air museum at Lychnostatis which offers an insight into authentic Cretan life. In a guided tour through the compound you can marvel at Cretan architecture and the old traditional life style. You then travel into the Pediados region where your guided walk starts near the village of Potamies. The walk covers fertile ground between thousands of olive trees, with splendid views on the mountain peaks, and passes a church before reaching the small and lovely village of Karouzano where you have an included lunch. The guided walk from Potamies to Karouzano is approximately 5.5 miles with ascents/descents of 100m/200m. The day’s tour includes a total of 32 miles by coach. of Crete including a visit to the Arkadi monastery - one of the island’s most famous due to the holocaust it suffered in 1866. You also visit the pottery village of Margarites next to a beautiful green ravine, and have a walking tour of the city of Rethymnon through the charming old quarter including the harbour and the narrow streets and squares with Turkish and Venetian architecture. Day Eight: Free time until departure for the airport and your flight home. YOUR HOTEL ASTIR BEACH HHHH, Gouves (seven nights) The hotel is situated on the beach in Gouves on the north coast, 10 miles from Heraklion airport. The hotel is modern in style and has a reception area, lounge with satellite tv, spacious restaurant/dining room, two elevators, a pool bar, a snack bar, and a mini market. All of the 179 rooms are equipped with bath or shower/wc, hair dryer, direct dial telephone, safe box (weekly charge), radio, satellite tv, mini-fridge and balcony or terrace. Sea view rooms are available at a supplement. In the hotel grounds you will find a large sun terrace and a smartly designed freshwater swimming pool. Sporting facilities include volleyball, table tennis, and minigolf. There is also a gym with steam bath, sauna and whirlpool. Free wifi in the public areas, chargeable LAN access in the bedrooms. (www. astirbeach.gr) Extend your holiday - extra week available at Astir Beach. If you have friends who are not walkers interested in this itinerary, it is featured in our Escorted <strong>Holidays</strong> brochure with a touring programme. Walk 3: Mount Ida – the East slope. A scenic drive along olive groves and vineyards brings you to the east slope of Mount Ida, Crete’s highest mountain. The walk starts near the village Assites, set in an agriculture region. During the walk you visit a ceramic workshop and the Antonios church from where there is a spectacular view of the narrow gorge. The walk is mostly downhill over dirt roads and paths between olive trees and vineyards. The walk ends in the village of Siva where you have a wine tasting. The walk is approximately 6 miles with ascents/ descents of 100m/300m. The day’s tour includes a total of 44 miles by coach. As well as the included walks there will be an optional tour in the west Please refer to the enclosed ‘Dates and Flight Information’ for details of departure dates, prices and flights. www.preferredts.com | 29
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